Yoga: a faith-based exercise?

I recently contacted the Jois Foundation about referring a secular-teacher to our Humanist Conference this May in San Diego precisely because I wanted to avoid the “spiritual” overtones presented by some yoga teachers/instructors.

As a non-theist, however, I understand and sympathize with the concerns of parents that do not want their children religiously indoctrinated in a public school. If there is one advantage to this legal challenge, it is the opportunity to yet again define the proper relationship between the rights of individuals to practice their faith, and the restriction on public institutions and government officials to force their religious symbols and observances on others.

I imagine that the Sedlock parents do not object to the Pledge of Allegiance requiring a nod to the God of Abraham (which was inserted into a perfectly secular pledge in 1954), nor do I assume they object to invocations before public school and government sponsored ceremonies and meetings. I’m familiar with the National Center for Law & Policy. They support the religious rights of students including on-campus Bible clubs, “witnessing” on campus, graduation prayers, and … “opting out of objectionable programs.”

An excuse the religious often make when forcing their preferred religious symbols and practices on others is that it is “tradition.” “We’ve been doing it for 100 years!” (as if the passage of time makes something unconstitutional constitutional). If we are to follow this logic, and ignore the true intent of the First Amendment, then yoga predates most religious practices that I observe daily here in San Diego. Yoga would certainly trump Bible study. – Debbie Allen, president, Humanist Fellowship of San Diego, San Diego

Fair is fair – those opposing yoga exercise because it’s religious should also be advocating removal of the religious cross on Mount Soledad, right? – Jim Baross, Normal Heights